Sectional floating dry dock



Dec. 27, 1955 G. c. ENGSTRAND SECTIONAL FLOATING DRY DOCK 5 Sheets-Sheetl Filed April 11, 1952 INVENTOR. Gunner C. Engstrond BY ATTORNEY 1955 G.c. ENGSTRAN-D 2,728,319

SECTIONAL FLOATING DRY DOCK Filed April 11, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

Gunnclr C. Engsrrond T BY ATTORNEY Dec. 27, 1955 G. c. ENGSTRAND 2,

SECTIONAL FLOATING DRY DOCK Filed April 11, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.FIGJO FIGJOQ FIG." FIGJIO so so 40 40 G gl a l 3 3 J37 FIG.|2

27 I I 5 A 33 FIGJZCJ. H FIG.9 13a FIGS 23 21 34 V/ Rx F|G.8c 7 4% Vcf/[l 36L INVENTOR.

3 2 Gunnor C. Engstrond ATTORNEY Figure 6 is a top plan of the partsSECTIONAL FLOATING DRY DOCK Gunner C. Engstrand, Tottenville, N. Y.,assignor, by mesne assignments, to Frederic R. Harris, Inc., New York,N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 11, 1952, Serial No.281,757 5 Claims. (Cl. 114-46) My invention relates to an improvement infloating dry docks, especially connecting means for parts of floatingdry docks which are built in separate sections,- all rigidly united toform a single structural unit.

' 'An important object of this invention is to provide the sections of afloating dry dock with connections which can easily be fastened securelyand readily. dismantled, with the assistance of only such tools andimplements as can be operated by hand. Hence the entiredock'can-beassembled and the sections fully joined by theregular dockcrew in a comparatively short time, and the dock quickly completedforits intended use.

*Another object is' to provide a floating dry dock, made of transverselyextending sections bearing partsof the side walls andparts of the hullof the complete assembled dock, said sections having identical membersadapted to resist reversal of stress; said members being attached tosaid parts and so arranged that they will resist both the bendingmoments .of the dock and the shear thereon to which the connections maybe subject between theassembled sections.

- -A further object isto provide fastening means which are carried bythe sections at the opposed ends of the parts of the side walls thereonand the adjacent parts of the hull of each section; and having such formthat the sections can be rapidly and firmly secured together and just asreadily detached from one another. Each of the sections contains its ownflooding compartments and pumping equipment, and should any of thesections be damaged, it can. be disengaged from the others and repairsspeedily effected. I

' These and other objects and advantages are fully and clearly describedherein, and the novel features are defined in. the appended claims. Onthe drawings a preferred embodient of the invention is illustrated, butchanges of structure can of course be adopted without omitting ordeparting from the essential characteristics of my invention.

n the drawings: 0 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a floating dry dockconsisting of sections extending crosswise of the clock, one or moresections at one end being omitted.

Figure 2 is an end view of part of one section showing a part of oneWing wall of .the dock, in end elevation, and the arrangement of theconnections between the sections.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation showing the opposed ends of partsof the wing or side walls of adjacent sections, bearing ledges andgusset plates for attaching connecting links to the sections.

Figure 4.is a side elevation of a pin-and-slot guide for attachment toopposed ends of the walls of adjacent sections.

Figure 5 is a transverse section thereof,.on line 5-5 in Figure 4. Y ofa gudgeon and pintle guide also for the opposing ends adjacent sections.

of the walls on 2,728,319 Patented Dec. 27, 1955 Figure 7 is a top viewpartly in section showing how the ledge plates on the opposing ends ofthe walls of adjacent sections are united by links, the gusset platesappearing in horizontal section.

Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical section on line 8-8 in Figure 7.

I Figure 8a is a side elevation showing only the gusset plates that arepart of the connections between the sections of the'dock, as said gussetplates appear in Figure 8; and Figures 8b and 80 show in verticalsection the ledge plates, links and other parts for connecting adjacentsections of the dock.

Figure 9 shows in vertical elevation the gusset plates on the opposedends of the walls made rigid by means of wedges; with the ledge platesin end elevation and the gusset partly in section on line 9-9 in Figure3.

Figures 10 and 10a are respectively a side and front elevation of awedge for tightening the connections.

Figures 11 and 11a are similar views of another tightening wedge. 1

Figures 12 and 12a are an end and side view, respectively, of a pin forthe connections of the ledge plates.

Figures 13 and 13a are similar views of a third tightening wedge; and

Figures 14, 14a and 14b are, respectively, front, side and end views ofanother pin for the connections of the ledge plates.

Figure 1 shows a dock which comprises a number of transversely extendingsections 1 assembled side by side. Each section has a pontoon hull 2with upright walls 3, one extending across each end of the hull 2. Whenthe sections are united the walls 3 on the sections are all in alinementand these parts then form the two side or wing walls along each side ofthe completed dock. The opposed end faces of the parts or walls on thesections 3 have pin-and-slot guide connections 4 adjacent the hulls 2,to prevent vertical movement of the sections while the coupling of thesections is in progress; and gudgeonand-pintle connections 5 near thetops 6 to prevent sidewise movement during the coupling operation. SeeFigures 2, 3, 4 and 5. The sections are thus held in position with thebottoms 7 and decks 10 of the hulls at the same level (see Figures 2 and3), and the inboard faces 8 and outboard faces 9 of the walls 3 all intrue vertical alinement, as indicated in Figure 7. The sections aresecurely connected by links 11, the ends of which are tightly pinnedbetween horizontal projections or ledge plates 12 at the upper and lowerportions of the ends of the walls 3; and adjacent each tier of ledgesare vertical gusset plates indicated generally at 13 on said ends, theplates of one section being'made fast to the plates of the adjacentsection. The entire structure when finished is rigid throughout.

The-pin-and-slot connections each include a pair of projections 14on'the ends of some of the walls 3, supporting between them a horizontalpin or bit 15. See

Figures 4 and 5. On the ends 3 of each wall of a section opposite theprojections 14 are heads 16 with open fixed jaws 17 separated by spacesonly a little larger than the thickness of the pins or bits 15, so thatwhen the sections are assembled, the draft of each being equal, the jaws17 receive the pins 15 between them; and, the pins 15 and the middle ofthe space 18 between the jaws being located at the same height on thewalls 3, the decks 10 of the sections are all maintained in flushposition. The pins carry washers or shims 19 between the jaws 17 and theprojections 14, and the outer ends of the pins 15, which protrudethrough the projections 14 bear cotter pins 20. The projections 14 andjaws 16 are affixed in any suitable manner to the ends of the walls 3.The

with openings for the cotter pins 20.

The gudgeon-and-pintle members comprise projecting fixed jaws 21 with avertical opening 22 between them on the ends of some of the walls 3, andvertical guides 23, secured to the opposed ends of the remaining walls.See Figures 2, 3 and 6. The jaws and guides are located at the properdistances from the inboard and outboard faces 8 and 9 to maintain thewalls 3 in a-lzinement. The members 4 and 5 are of course rigidlyatfixed to the body or framework of the sections 1, and as the sectionsare moved so as to .lie side by side the connections 4 and 5 can beeasily caused .to engage as required. This is indicated on Figure 3. Thesections are then moored together and the assembly is finished byuniting the ledges l2 and gusset plates 13.. The guides 23 and recesses22 have tapering sides to ensure a snug fit. ;See Figures 2., 3 and 6.The opening 22 forms a vertical socket to receive the guides 23. Thebores in the projections 14 have straight top and bottom edges, to .keepthe pins 15 and shims 15' from turning.

After the pin-and-slot members 4 and guide-andpintle members 5 are inengagement, the final stage :in connect ing the sections 1 by rigidlyjoining the ledge plates 12 and gusset plates 13 is begun. The ledgeplates :are horizontal and are secured to the body or framework of allsections 1 inside the end faces of the walls 3. They have outerprojections 24 extending from the .ends of the walls, and between theseprojections 24 as shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9 are the vertical ggussetplates 13. Figures 2 and 3 show the relative positions of the ledge andgusset plates and the members 4 and 5. Each plate '12 is preferably asingle member from one end to the other.

The ledge plates 12 extend across the ends of the walls preferably intwo tiers adjacent the top 6 and two more adjacent the lower parts ofthe walls at the bulls 2. This is shown in Figures 2 and 3. Each tiercomprises two plates, one above the other, with the outer projecv Thegussetplates 131) are double plates, while the plates 27 from droppingout of the apertures 25. The shims 32 are presented to the straighttransverse outer edges of the apertures 25. When wedges like the wedges30 and 34 (Figures 7, l3 and 13a) are put through the links 11 into thespace between the ledge plates on the opposed end faces of adjacentwalls 3, the wedge 34 is inserted upward, and a lateral projectionthereon goes in between the projections 24 of the "ledges '12 hearingthe pin 27. Hence this wedge cannot drop out. The other wedge .30 isinserted downward and driven in till it is fast. The ledge plates onopposing end faces of' two adjacent side walls'are thus forced apart todraw the links '11 forcibly against the pins 26 and 27 and the end wallsare rigidly uni-ted along the full length of the ledge plates 12. 'Thewedges 34 have wide ends 36 which engage the sides of the links 11 onthe lower faces when the projections 35 are in line with the spacesbetween the projections 24.

The gusset plates 13:: on the end faces of some will 3 have recesses 37in their outer ends, and the gusset plate 13a on the opposing endfacesof the remaining walls 3-have projections 38 to match the recesses 37.The outline of these plates is indicatedin Figurc 8a.

13a are single (or vice versa) with a space between them.

See Figure 9. When the links 11 are made fast as above described, theplates 13a and 131) are in such positions that the recesses 37 andprojections 38 are "in horizontal alinement, and the recesses '37 are onboth-sides of the plates 13a. The projections 38 are of less height thanthe recesses '37, so that wedges 30 and 39 can be driven in horizontallybetween the projections 38 and sides of the recesses 37 to make each setof gusset plate: 130

tions 24 of each plate 12 directly over the projections of the other;see Figure ,9; but separated so that the links 11 can be insertedbetween the projections. The projections 24 of each pair of plates 12have vertically alined apertures .25 {Figures 3, 7, 8 and .815), roundedat the extremities adjacent the ends of the walls 3, the opposite orouter transverse edges of these apertures being straight. See Figure 7.The links are attachedhy pins 2.6 in the holes of the projections of onepair of plates 12 and pins 27 in the openings of the projections of theplates atfixed to the opposed wall of an adjacent section. The links aremade tight by means of wedges in the middle of the links, pressingagainst the outer edges of the projections 24 on the opposed ends of thewalls 3 of adjacent sections 1, and wedges in some of the holes 25 asdescribed below.

The pins 26 (Figures 14, 14a and 14b) are mostly cylindrical and have ahandle 28, but have a flat side .29 extending at an angle, so that thethickness of the pin is less atone end. The handle is at the thinnerend. This pin is dropped into the apertures 25 of one pair ofprojections with its round face engaging the rounded edges thereof andits flat face presented to the transverse straight edges of saidapertures. The handles 28 are wide and serve asstops to prevent the pins26 from dropping out of the openings 25. A wedge 30 is then insertedfrom above into the space between said flat face 29 and the straighttransverse edge of each aperture 25 and driven home to make the pin '26fast. The wedges have the form shown in Figures 1,1 and l la. .Into theapertures '25 of the opposite pair of projections 24 .on the adjacentWei-1.3 the pin 27, also mostly .cylindrical, is inserted. This pin hasa flat face 31cm one sideparal lel to the axis and on this face is aplate or shim 32 :se cured by cotter pins 33. (Figures 12 and 12a? Therounded exterior of the pins 27 engage the-hounded ends of the aperturesreceiving them, and the upper cotter pins 33, projecting at their ends,prevent the pins or slugs and 13b rigid with one another. See Figures "8and! A long wedge like the wedge 30 is forced infrom one side, and ashort wedge 39 is forced in from the opposite side under the long wedge.These wedges engage the upper and lower edges of the recesses 37 in theplates 13b and the upper and lower edges of the projections 38 V of thegusset plates 13a flanking the plates 13b. The long wedges 30 have slots40 and the wedges 39 openings 41 for lock bolts 42 to keep the wedges 30and 39 in place, as Figures 9, 9a and 10 show. Figure 7 indicates theposition of a long wedge 39 with respect to thegusset plates 13a and 13bwhich it engages.

The sides near end faces of the" walls 3 have cat walks 43 for workmenabove the gudgeon-and-pintle mem bers 5 under the lower tiers 12 nearthe top '6' and a full length vertical ladder 44, shown in Figures 21nd3 from-each cat walk 43 to the upper tier of ledge and gusset platesnear the tops 6 of the walls 3. The workmen can stand on these cat walksand lower and'uppcr tiers when inserting the links, pins and wedges. The

upper tiers of the plates near the lower ends of the walls 3 can bereached from the deck 10 and the tiers below the decks by means of asmall barge 45. dock can be tilted to let the barge go "in "far enough,if-ncceasary. A floating dry deck of this type in seven sections,

for example, will have rigid connections able to Iithstand a shear of4,300 tons and a bending moment of 215,000 foot tons acting on the dock.

The connections are thus easy to take apart andpu! in place and allparts thereof will be securely fastened. No'speeial hard-to-get materialwill be needed, but solely commercial steel can be used throughout, witha maximum stressing of 20,000 pounds per square inch. No jacks orwinches are required but only man power block and tackle 'pull and forone-man weights; with ample clearance for working by several men at thesame time. This entire dock can be assembled and taken apart in adaysworking time by the regular dock crew; 'Also' the sections areinterchangeable and a variation'of in any direction for a memberpermissible and can be taken up without any special fitting. T All thehorizontal vertically acting stresses are sosisted by the pins 26 and27, the wedges'30 and the links 11, together with the vertical wedges 30and34between the opposing edges of the ledge plates 12 on adjacent endsof the side walls 3, and by gusset plates 13 which are made tight by thehorizontal wedges 30 and 39 secured by the bolts 42. These gusset platesare inter spersed in each tier between the links and the pin connectionsand are welded or otherwise made rigid'with the ledge plates 12 and thebody of each section 1. Four men can take care of one quarter of theconnections, and 16 men the whole section. All the connections can bereadily made in one hour's time by 16 men, with the exception of thelowest gusset plate wedges, which can be driven in after the dock hasbeen swung up on one side sufficiently for a boat to travel thereunderwith men standing erect in the gap between the sections.

The connections for the sections are adequately secured at the top bymeans of a cellular steel beam system at the safety deck within the dockand not required to be illustrated, since such means is not a part ofthis invention.

The pin-and-slot guide at the bottom of the wings for horizontaladjustment and the gudgeon-and-pintle at the top constitute specialfairing means for properly alining the sections at the beginning. Theprocedure is to tilt one section between 4 and 6 inches and pull itslowly towards another level section by means of block and tackle. Thepin-and-slot guide device will ensure the horizontal fairing of thesections and the unobstructed entrance of the links 11 secured to onesection into the space between the projections 24 of the ledge plates ofan adjacent section. The links are all held at one end by the pins 26.The pins 27 in the lowest tier of plates 12 are now inserted through theholes 25 in the projections 24 of the other section and then this tiltedsection is leveled by pumping until the top vertical gudgeonand-pintleare pressed home. The sections are now properly matched and the wedgingand pinning-up proceeds as previously described.

The ledge plates 12 may each be in one piece from end to end; or ifdesired in separate pieces, paired one above the other at the ends ofthe links 11. Both the ledge plates 12 and gusset plates 13 are rigidlyinside the walls 3 to the framework thereof.

Also the lower wedges 39 for the gusset plates can be weldedvon at thelower ends of the recesses 37 and the top edges of the projections 38.Then all that has to be done is to put in and tighten the wedges 30,securing them with the bolts 42.

Thus the invention comprises the various members fully illustrated inoperative positions on each of Figures 2 and 3, constituting means foruniting the opposed faces of adjacent sections; and by similarlyequipping all the opposed faces of the various sections, the entire dockcan be assembledand the various sections rigidly connected to oneanother.

Having described my invention what I believe to be new is:

1. Connecting means for a floating dry dock comprising sections placedside by side, said sections each having a hull and parts above the hulland having ends for alinement to form the side walls of the dock, saidends having opposed faces, said means including elongated horizontalledge plates extending fully across the opposed end faces of said parts,on adjacent sections, vertical gusset plates intersecting said ledgeplates and means comprising coupling links, pins and wedges for rigidlyuniting the ledge plates and gusset plates on one section to the ledgeand gusset plates of the adjacent section.

2. Connecting means for a floating dry dock comprising sections arrangedside by side, said sections each having a hull and parts above the hulland having ends for alinement to form the side walls of the dock, saidends having opposed faces, said means including pairs ofopposed-horizontal ledge plates on the opposed end faces of said partson adjacent sections, the plates of eachpair having "overlying separatedprojections with vertically alined apertures, links having their endsbetween the pro jections of-' said opposite pairs extending betweenpsaidopposed endfaces, pins in said alined apertures passing throughsaid'links at each end thereof to hold the latter in place, tighteningwedges passing throughsaid links, at saidendsopposed vertical gussetplates ons'aid opposed end faces, and means for making said gusset.plates on one of said end faces rigid with the gusset plateson the otherend face, one of said .pins for oneend of each link having a handle atits upper endwiderthan the aperture for said pin, and having a fiatlateral face inclined outward and downward, one of said wedges being insaidaperture and engaging said lateral face, other Wedges being tightbetween the outer edges of said opposite pairs ,iof projections on saidopposed faces, one of the wedgesin each link having a lateral projectionextending between the projections on said ledge plates at the otherendsof the links.

3. Connecting means for a floating dry dock comprising sections arrangedside by side, saidsections each having a hull and parts above the hulland having ends for alinement to form the side walls of the dock, saidends having opposed faces, said means including pairs of opposedhorizontal ledge plates on the opposed end faces of said parts onadjacent sections, the plates of each pair having overlying separatedprojections with vertically alined apertures, links connectingopposite'iipairs of said projections,"pins in said apertures engagingthe ends of said links, wedges passing through said links to tightensame and said pins, opposed gusset plates on said end faces, the' gussetplates on one of said end' faces being in duplicate and the platesopposed thereto being single, said opposed gusset plates having matchedprojections and recesses, and wedges engaging the side edges of saidrecesses and the last-named projections to make said gusset plates onone of said ends rigid with the gusset plates on the adjacent end.

4. Connecting means for a floating dry dock comprising sections arrangedside by side, said sections each having a hull and parts above the hulland having ends for alinement to form the side walls of the dock, saidends having opposed faces, said means including pairs of opposedhorizontal ledge plates on the opposed end faces of said parts onadjacent sections, the plates; of each pair having overlying separatedprojections with vertically alined apertures, links having their endsbetween the projections of said opposite pairs extending between saidopposed end faces, pins in said alined apertures passing through saidlinks at each end thereof to hold the latter in place, tightening wedgespassing through said links, opposed vertical gusset plates on saidopposed ends, said gusset plates being duplicate on one of said ends andsingle on the other, said gusset plates on one of said end faces havingrecesses and the gusset plates on the other end face having projectionsmatching said recesses, and wedges engaging the side edges of saidrecesses and the last-named projections to make the gusset plates on oneend face rigid with those on the other of said opposed ends.

5. Connecting means for a floating dry dock comprising section'sarranged side by side, said sections" each having a 'hull and partsabove the hull and having ends for alinement to form the side walls ofthe dock, said ends having opposed faces, said means including pairs ofopposed horizontal ledge plates on the opposed end faces of said partson adjacent sections, the plates of each pair having overlying separatedprojections with vertically alined apertures, links having their endsbetween the projections of said opposite pairs extending between saidopposed end faces, pins in said alined apertures passing through saidlinks at each end thereof to hold the latter in place, tightening wedgespassing through said links, at said ends opposed vertical gusset plateson said opposed end faces, one of said pins for one end of each linkamugue having 'a handle-at its upper end wider than athe aperture impinand-having a flat 'lateral faeeinclined outwaefi'anc'ifdmwnward, one ofsaid wedges being iii-said ma engaging'said lateral face, other wedgesbeing-fight between the enter edges of said :oppcsite pairs ofprojections on said opposed faces, one of the wedges in each il'mkhavihga lateral pmjection extending between the proiections on saidledgeplates at the other ends of file Iinlcs,--said gusset plates beingduplicate on one of said enfi feces and single on the other, said gussetplates in one of said end faces having recesses and the :gusset platesan the mher'end havingpr-oie'ctiuns matehing said messes, and wedgesengaging-the side edges of said recesses and ihe last-named projections40 make the gusset plaies on 0.06 and iig'id with zfhose an the 10111205 Si opposed end faces. 7 v

References the 'fi-le hi this patent UNrrED-sTATEs PATENTS 2,605,733:Smith .Aug. .5, 11952

